#hydrangea

Six On Saturday: Bizarre

/ n20gardener / 16 Comments

The garden has a topsy turvy feel to it. There have been swarms of ladybirds this week. The clematis is in flower again as is the hebe that I had carefully deadheaded for the winter. There have also been misty mornings and the leaves are turning. Here’s six things from the garden this week.

One

The leaves on the persimmon tree are turning beautifully shades of red. They don’t last long before they fall to the ground. This is the cue for starting up this season’s leaf mould heap.

Two

Last season’s leaf mould did not go very far. I decided to cardboard over one bed in the veg patch and use the leaf mould to cover the top. Since achieving this neat finish the foxes have had fun and have dug down to find the cardboard and have shredded it. I reburied it all again. I can see this could go on!

Three

The hydrangeas are really putting on a great autumn display, the colour deepens every week and this week the re-flowering geranium psilostemon clashes rather well.

Four

The heavy dew has left delicate edges on the scented pelargoniums. A visit from the greenhouse retailer confirmed that I will be without a greenhouse until January. Now what am I going to do with eight pots of tender pellies? I’ll be squeezing some into the shed and hoping.

Five

The climbing hydrangea on the north facing fence is putting on a show of yellow leaves. This is the border that is severely infested with cinquefoil. It is my last job to start, one I have been putting off I admit. It’s a thankless task but I will try to dig through the border and remove as much as I can.

Six

There always seems to be a rose having a go at bringing back summer. This one is ‘Lady of Shalott’. It hasn’t really settled into this spot but it is doing well enough that I will leave well alone.

I moved an hydrangea into the spot vacated by r. ‘Darcey Bussell’ and that confirmed that another one of the Darceys will have to go too. That might tip me into removing the last one as well. I have some veronicastrum waiting for a new home and this could be the space. A few leucojum bulbs have been bought and the camassias were found and planted out. the leucojums have gone into pots until I can see where the gaps are in the borders. I’m beginning to feel on top of things again. The clocks go back this weekend, time to start thinking of tulips pots.

Enjoy the autumn season, there’s still plenty to see in Jim’s Garden and of course he has all the links to other SOS posts. Happy Gardening.

Six On Saturday: I need to get going

/ n20gardener / 24 Comments

I’m hoping October will be mellow and fruitful. I have much to do and after longing for rain I have definitely had enough now thank you. I feel sure I had this feeling last year, I can see much in the garden that needs to be refined, cleared out, divided. It needs a good tidy up. So I need to get moving. On with the six then.

One

I was amazed to spot this gaura flower amongst the verbenas. Was it sheltered by them and also overcrowded by them? I hope it can last through another winter and I will thin the verbenas to give the gaura more of a chance.

Two

The hydrangeas are rapidly changing colour and this one has chosen the perfect autumnal red.

Three

I’ve called time on the tomatoes, blight finally got to them. But there is a good quantity ripening off inside. Not such a good quantity of carrots though! These are chantenay, so the shortness is good, but the germination was not.

Four

Here’s the frost shattered pot in its new home. Against a sunny wall, perhaps it will survive another winter more or less intact.

Five

New violas for the terrace pots. Cheap and cheerful and I’m hoping they’ll last a good while. The lobelia was definitely past its best so it was time for a change

Six

Lastly, I’m going back to the cactus dahlia because it is a firework of orangeness at the moment. It’s down at the shady end of the garden and looks much better in the afternoon sun.

I’m off to dig and divide geranium phaeums today. I hope you have good weather for your gardening jobs. Jim hosts the SOS links as usual, but unusually he has some great pictures of Cornwall! Have a great weekend everyone

Six On Saturday: New things, old things

/ n20gardener / 26 Comments

How quickly things change. Last week I was gardening in dry soil and this week the garden had a good soaking. Yes, we have had heavy rain but thankfully we do not get flooding. Today there are glorious blue skies and it feels like a perfect gardening day. Hopefully the soil won’t be too wet. Here’s my six for the week.

One

Let’s start with some goodies. I’ve ordered a few things for different parts of the garden. Three hydrangeas to replace the sarcococca confusa that have been eaten (box moth caterpillars?). The sarcococca replaced the pittosporum nanum that was lost last winter. Let’s hope the hydrangeas will be more resilient. Then there are three ostrich ferns aka shuttlecock ferns, to fill out a shady corner, and then veronicastrum ‘Alba’ to give some height to the borders – these were chosen because the slugs did not munch those I already have this year. Finally there is a new calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’. I’m having another go at symmetry. This one will replace one that failed on the other side of the steps. All good solutions, I hope, to gardening challenges. Hardy, slug proof and in the case of the ferns space fillers!

Two

More goodies, just a handful of crocus bulbs that were purchased from a market stall. They always tempt me. These are white Jeanne D’Arc. Isn’t it always the way, you identify the perfect spot to squeeze in a few more bulbs and lo and behold there are already bulbs there. I was luckier on my second attempt.

Three

A few years back this pot suffered in a very cold winter. I tried to repair it but things got worse. This year I concede. It was home to lily bulbs which are always attacked by lily beetles. I’ll do away with the bulbs, I thought, and find a corner of the garden where the pot can look ornamental while empty. I unearthed far more lily bulbs than expected and will almost certainly be trying to find a place to replant them. The hunt for suitable home for a wrecked pot starts this weekend.

Four

Blue skies and roses are perfect. This one is the climbing rose ‘James Galway’ which intertwines with the clematis armandii ‘Apple Blossom’. The clematis is winning.

Five

Speaking of clematis, here is the wonderful seed head of an unknown variety. So intricately beautiful.

Six

Lastly the astrantia are in flower again. Quietly getting on with things, always enjoyable.

I’ll be splitting overcrowded plants, re-arranging and re-planting. As the veg plot empties out I move any un-homed plants into empty spaces while I work things out. There are more bulbs to plant and I must decide whether to plant more tulips this year. Here’s hoping your plans are going well. Jim is also embarking on new projects, specifically on his allotment. Amazingly he also finds time to host the SOS links. For which many thanks.

Six On Saturday: The bees are back in town

/ n20gardener / 16 Comments

I think perhaps this is the first SOS of the summer where I have been struck by the quantity of bees humming through the borders. The sun is shining and the warmth has brought the bees out to forage. It is the best sound of summer. Here’s six from the garden this week.

One

Bee on the allium sphaerocephalon, so much easier to call it drumstick allium. I reported last year that after three years in the garden these had finally asserted themselves and they continue to do well here this year.

Two

I have no idea what this plant is, but it is hosting another bee, hence it’s inclusion. This was inherited, growing in an old wall. It generally does very little at all but this year it has flowered. I like it for clothing wall whether it flowers or not.

Three

The agapanthus that are left to overwinter in the borders have been putting on a show, they are on the turn now but this one, ‘Midnight Star’ deserves an outing for it’s darker blue colouring and of course the bee.

Four

This clematis in bud is included because it has fought back from being ripped off the rose arch and from early season slug attack. There is only one stem, twining its way round the new obelisk but there is promise for next year.

Five

Another in bud flower. The only bud on two clumps of day lilies. They obviously need dividing. But they do suffer from gall midge so I am in two minds about whether to give the ground over to something else.

Six

Out in the front garden it is time for the annual pink/blue/purple hydrangea show. Quite an eye catcher, entirely trouble free and barely ever watered. Winner!

This is time of year when I add another year to the time spent in this garden. I’m up to eight years now and this year I feel the garden has got away from me. September will be a time for dividing, moving and reconsidering. I’ll be having another go at imposing some order on the chaos. I know that July is a turning point for the garden and I shouldn’t judge too harshly but I can see things that have to be dealt with. I’ll continue the fight against the weeds this weekend, most of which are flowering riotously! But as the weather is forecast to be sunny I’ll also enjoy the good things. I hope you do too!

Jim is host of the SOS meme and shares the participant’s guide on his Garden Ruminations website. He also shows an impressive range of plants each week, well worth taking a look.

Six On Saturday: Back to the garden

/ n20gardener / 21 Comments

I was absent without leave last week, fully intending to post before a week’s holiday but not quite managing it. I was only one week away from the garden but what a transformation. The garden had rewilded itself, choosing to cover any open space with oxalis, chickweed, willowherb and enchanter’s nightshade. On the upside the agapanthus had burst into flower and it seemed that there had been enough rain and sun to keep everything happy. Here’s this week’s six.

One

Here’s one that was destined for last week, hypericum in the front garden. Looking very cheerful in the sunshine. It’s a decent sized shrub that I inherited. No trouble at all and quite joyful.

Two

These agapanthus are the ones that grow in large pots and have to be wrapped in fleece over the winter. One was divided this Spring and three sections were replanted. They have all produced flowers this year so I am very pleased with them, and myself!

Three

Thalictrum delavayi. I’m not sure if I have these in the right place, perhaps a little more sun and certainly some more space and some support would help them show themselves off a little better. I really enjoy their airy frothiness.

Four

I am in the process of reshaping the planting in the old gooseberry patch. The focal point being taken up by two oak leaf hydrangeas. This is the second year in the garden and they have put on a good amount of growth which is encouraging. Even with their relatively small plant size the flower heads are quite impressive and I look forward to them fully growing into their space.

Five

The shasta daisies, like many plants this year, seem taller than ever. I got in early with my supports and I hope this will hold them upright off the paths.

Six

I mixed the overwintered scented pelargoniums with some trailing lobelia this year and the combination works well. The snails like to sneak themselves inside the rims of the pots so vigilance is the word. The geranium is pink capitatum, my favourite of the three I bought many years back from Sarah Raven.

Jobs for me this weekend, include, of course, the weeding but also picking some courgettes, deadheading the roses and cutting back some more hardy geraniums. The psilostemon are threatening to self-seed themselves even further and geranium Brookside has had its first wave and needs to kept in check before the paths disappear. Have yourselves a good gardening weekend and don’t forget to check in with Jim, host of the SOS meme for updates from his Cornish garden and from others around the world.

Six On Saturday: Flattened

/ n20gardener / 11 Comments

Somewhat ironically, both the water bill and heavy rain came this week. One was more welcome than the other. We are on a meter and all the water butts were empty. The garden has had a heavy soaking and the butts are full again. The alchemilla that was frothing last week is now flat, verbena bonariensis, veronicastrum and even shorter plants have joined the downward trend. But the rain was needed. Here’s six from the garden this week.

One

Flattened echium. I’m not too bothered about these. They came from a pack of free seeds, they are a good colour but really they are in the wildflower category and I’ve decided they are not keepers. They will go before they set seed.

Two

I’m sure the hydrangeas loved the rain but the flower heads just could not bear the weight so they are bowed down to the grass, I may take off the lower branches for some cut flowers.

Three

The miscanthus ‘Silver Feather’ doesn’t seem to have minded too much. I like this grass and it has grown to a good size in this its third year in the garden.

Four

The hebe should be sending fireworks of flowers off in all directions but they are heading downwards now. I hope they will spring back when the rain stops.

Five

The heuchera’s slightly shiny leaf looks well in the rain. I particularly liked this variety and tried for some time to buy a couple more but couldn’t. I gave in and bought something similar but it has an even shinier leaf which doesn’t appeal quite so much.

Six

Here’s one I missed earlier! Tree seedlings are a constant problem and there’s also a spare plant support waiting for a Japanese anemone which I think has given up the ghost for this year. Behind, the climbing hydrangea isn’t doing too badly at all.

I have been enjoying some garden produce this week: green beans, lettuce and potatoes. The blackcurrants have been picked. They were not too plentiful this year. I wonder if birds ate some of the flowers. The rain will have been perfect for my second sowing of carrots which had just germinated, and, if I don’t keep a close eye on them, I think the courgettes may be roaring away. My always neglected front garden will also have enjoyed the downpours. So all in all, I’m not going to moan. Well, just a little one. I noticed the lawn was speckled with slugs!

I’m off to Jim’s garden in the blogosphere to catch up with other SOSers. Have a great weekend, come rain or shine.

Six On Saturday: It’s the small things that count

/ n20gardener / 19 Comments

It has been a cold week here, down to -4.3 in the unheated greenhouse and frosts for several days. I didn’t see any magical sparkling photo opportunities which caused me to be a little despondent about what I could find in the garden this week. But so many small things caught my eye that I find I am able present another Six On Saturday.

One

The roses are putting out new growth, an encouraging reminder that the cycle continues even through the coldest moments.

Two

Euphorbia oblongata is looking as perky now as is does in Spring and Summer. I’ve had this for several years now even though it is often said be best grown as annual. Whisper that, I wouldn’t want to frighten it away!

Three

More buds are appearing on the hellebores. These ones self-seed themselves quite freely so I have quite a cluster developing.

Four

The viburnums are just beginning to come into flower, not quite covering the whole shrub yet, but it’s a start.

Five

The melica grass is ready for cutting back, new shoots are coming through. Here it is mixed with hydrangea ‘Limelight’ and self-seeded iris foetidissima all in the shelter of the rhododendron.

Six

Elsewhere other hydrangeas offer their brown winter colouring, the flower heads protecting the new buds of the next season’s growth and I have just spotted the first pairs, green gems in amongst the brown.

What a contrast next week will be. The warmer weather should encourage me to get out and cut back the autumn fruiting raspberries and make a start on the grasses. There’s a new storm coming in so it won’t be smooth all the way but I can see light at the end of the tunnel. I hope you can enjoy your gardening too. Jim’s around as usual, hosting this little band. Take a look.

Six On Saturday: Looking forward

/ n20gardener / 22 Comments

It’s time to review the past year. I’ll mention the honey fungus in passing and the low, low temperatures that took out a few of the marginally hardy plants but let’s spend a moment reminding ourselves of joys to come. Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful New Year full of glorious gardening. Here’s six things that I’m looking forward to renewing acquaintance with once more.

One

The first apple blossom is always a high point

Two

Roses filling the garden with flowers and scent.

Three

The herbaceous borders beginning to fill out.

Four

The hydrangeas, will they be scorched by the sun, suffer from drought or somehow find a moment to shine?

Five

The beautiful white fuchsia ‘Hawkshead’, slowly establishing in a sunny border

Six

And back again to the apples that grew from the April blossom. Some stored but most juiced and each time a glass is drunk we think of summer.

Thank you for reading, for sharing your gardens over the year and I look forward to meeting you all again in the New Year. I’m off to Jim’s now to catch up on his news. Thank you Jim for your hosting and sharing of knowledge.

Six On Saturday: Gloomy gardening

/ n20gardener / 11 Comments

It’s a gloomy day today but the countdown has begun. The shortest day is twelve days away. It’s a fair way to go still until Spring but I’m feeling a twitch of positivity. I have planted the last of the tulip bulbs and have set out some new hellebores. The lawn is squelchy but there was a brief morning of dry weather and the fig leaves were mowed up and deposited in the leaf mould cage. I am beginning to feel that the last of the gardening jobs are being ticked off. Here’s my six for the week.

One

This comes with a warning of rampant spreading. Pachysandra terminalis. I have two plants in a thin border at the back end of the garden and if they spread I will (I think) be very happy. I have not chosen successfully here in the past, so here’s hoping they will settle in well.

Two

The new hellebores, fifteen in total, are in the old gooseberry patch border. Here they will have the white tulip ‘Maureen’ and hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snow Queen’ for company.

Three

About now I start looking for something interesting in the garden for Christmas wreath making. It is going to be a challenge as everything is so wet. I cut back the hylotelephiums and I will keep them to see if they dry out and are useable.

Four

In cutting back they hylotelephiums I pulled off a few new buds. They had the barest amount of root attached so I swiftly potted them up to grow on. They are usually fairly easy to propagate so I am optimistic.

Five

There’s not much colour in the garden but the seeds of iris foetidissima are just about holding their own against the rain.

Six

To end, a grainy photo of the parakeets and persimmons taken through the kitchen window. A bizarrely exotic site for a gloomy garden.

Jim, our laudable host will have much to ruminate on as usual. Stop by and take a look and happy gardening to you all as usual!

Six On Saturday: Autumn colours

/ n20gardener / 10 Comments

The golds, reds, oranges and yellows of Autumn are taking their turn in the garden. The leaves are spiralling to the ground and when the sun does shine the garden is glowing. Here’s my six for the week.

One

The climbing hydrangea is putting on a golden show over the gloomy fence and the black flower heads are providing an eye catching contrast to the leaves.

Two

Rose hips. Incomplete deadheading does have some rewards! I wish I’d left more. The rose grows in amongst a clematis and has a challenging position.

Three

The second crop of figs are just ripening. They are not so sweet though and many of them are quite small. I think I will leave them for the birds.

Four

The garden is throwing up mushrooms all over the place. These are growing out of some dead wood. Update: I’ve just looked this up and find that it is a honey fungus. I have work to do. It’s a horror.

Five

The hakonechloa macra that was green just a few weeks back has slipped gently into its autumn hues. I’m a fan of these, which means that I may be adding a few more. The old gooseberry patch is the number one spot for any new purchases.

Six

Just on the corner of the old gooseberry patch are a line of tiarellas. These largely go unnoticed as they are tucked away from the main garden. But they quietly get on with doing their thing in a shady spot and are still producing flowers. I must pay more attention to them.

Oh for a few more dry days. I have managed to plant more of the bulbs and only have tulips left to tackle, but there’s no rush for them. I do have tidying up tasks to complete and as the leaves have really begun to fall there is the leaf mould pile to start again. I feel Autumn curling round the garden and it’s a season to enjoy. I hope you are enjoying your garden and that Jim, our host, is too. You are invited to visit and find out how things are going.